Journey Through Italy

(20 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Lake Como, Florence, Tuscany, Rome, Amalfi Coast, Puglia

This private, luxurious journey through Italy visits some of Italy's most incredible destinations. Stay at exclusive luxury hotels in each location and enjoy comprehensive private touring with your own guides and drivers, with each day tailored to your interests.

Begin at beautiful Lake Como with a stay at the iconic Villa d’Este. Built in 1568 as a private residence, this neoclassical villa is one of Europe most acclaimed luxury hotels. While there, enjoy a private boat excursion to Bellagio, one of Lake Como’s most picturesque towns, to explore the beautiful backstreets and exquisite gardens, or visit other historic estates and aristocratic villas around the lake. Also enjoy free time to take advantage of the hotel's extensive leisure facilities, including the resort's legendary pool that floats on the lake, beautiful grounds and gardens, and fine dining options. .

Continue to Florence, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. En route, you might like to explore the cultural and culinary highlights of Bologna, one of Italy’s great gastronomic centers, or perhaps taste prosciutto, Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar in Parma and Modena. With your private expert guide in Florence, tour the city’s highlights according to your interests. Enjoy skip-the-line access at world-renowned museums such as the Uffizi and Accademia, browse antiques and artisan workshops of the Oltrarno district, tour historic squares, learn about Tuscan cuisine at specialty food shops and the Mercato Centrale, see the impressive Great Synagogue or stroll through the beautiful Boboli Gardens. Perhaps also visit less-frequented but fascinating museums, such as the Convent of San Marco Museum, with its frescoes by Fra Angelico, local fashion museums (Gucci, Ferragamo and others) or the excellent Museo del Bargello, a prison in the 13th century and now home to sculpture by Michelangelo and Donatello. During free time, enjoy leisurely meals, walks along the Arno River and shopping for Florentine gold jewelry, handmade paper, leather goods, antiques and housewares. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can arrange additional touring such as access to private art collections and specialty museums, visits to renowned local gardens, and activities such as an Italian cooking lesson.

Next, you will be transferred into the heart of Tuscany. Travel through olive groves and vineyards to explore celebrated hill towns such as Siena and San Gimignano. Other beautiful towns you may wish to visit include Pienza, Montalcino and Montepulciano. Walk medieval alleys and admire palazzi and ancient towers, and enjoy time to browse for olive oil, wine, baskets, cheeses, olive wood and ceramics. Taste wines at their source, listen to white-robed monks sing haunting Gregorian chants in a Romanesque church, or shop for designer goods at excellent outlet shops—the Tuscany touring will be determined by your interests. During free time at your beautiful hotel, additional activities can be arranged, such as truffle hunting, a private tour and tasting at a winery, a Tuscan cooking class, guided nature walks, biking, hiking and more.

Continue by private car to Rome. En route, stop in Orvieto, a small city perched on a cliff in Umbria. Enjoy comprehensive private touring and experience the best of Roman culture, history and lifestyle. Discover ancient pagan and Christian monuments, the splendors of Baroque and Renaissance palaces and churches, and the surprising urban additions of the modern city. Highlights include the Roman and Imperial Forums, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Vatican, Saint Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, Via Veneto, the morning fruit and flower market of Campo dei Fiori, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Villa Borghese, the Jewish Quarter, the ruins along the Appian Way, beautiful Aventine Hill, and the catacombs and "Underground Rome." Artisans of Leisure can also arrange special activities such as visits to other ruins and museums according to your interests, a private cooking class, tickets to evening cultural performances, tours of important churches, garden tours, wine tasting and more. During free time in Rome, enjoy la dolce vita and the city's excellent restaurants and boutiques.

Next, enjoy a guided tour of the ruins of Pompeii, a town preserved for centuries under volcanic lava and ash, en route to the breathtaking Amalfi Coast. With your private guide and driver, tour seaside villages such as picture-perfect Positano or other local towns such as Ravello, Sorrento or Amalfi. Depending on your interests, opt to browse local markets, tour Moorish gardens and churches, go wine tasting, or visit studios specializing in local items such as ceramics, cameos and sandals. Also enjoy ample time at leisure to frequent the pool or spa, shop at fashionable boutiques and sample the excellent local cuisine. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can arrange private boat charters. One day, enjoy an excursion by hydrofoil to the fabled island of Capri. While there, tour the village of Anacapri, see the Blue Grotto, and enjoy time to explore Capri’s shops and cafes.

Next, enjoy a private tour of Matera. Located in the Basilicata region, Matera is famous for its UNESCO-listed trogdolyte dwellings (sassi).

Continue to Puglia, one of Italy's best-kept travel secrets, and stay at a luxury resort by the Adriatic Sea. During in-depth private touring, explore favorite towns in this fascinating region. In Alberobello, tour backstreets lined with conical roofs crowning hundreds of limestone trulli—the traditional stone dwellings for which the town is known. Visit Locorotondo and Cisternino, two of Puglia’s most historic and picturesque hilltop towns. Also stop at a local winery to taste celebrated Puglian wines such as full-bodied, inky Primitivo and robust Negroamaro. 

One day, take an excursion to Lecce, Puglia’s cultural capital and one of Italy’s most beautiful towns. First, take a private cooking class in a former palace and learn to make typical Puglian specialties. Next, with your expert private guide, tour Lecce’s atmospheric backstreets and visit famous landmarks such as Basilica di Santa Croce, the Roman amphitheater, and Baroque churches and palaces built of ornately carved limestone. Also visit Museo Faggiano, a unique archaeological museum featuring unearthed antiquities found under a private home. Artisans of Leisure will also arrange for you to visit the studio of a renowned papier-mache artisan. En route back to your resort, visit the “White City” of Ostuni, a tumble of whitewashed buildings. Another day, take an excursion to the seaside town of Polignano a Mare to see the beautiful views and perhaps stop for lunch at a restaurant located in a cave. Also stop at a leading organic olive oil producer for a private tour of the farm and a private olive oil tasting.

Itinerary Overview

Day 1 Arrive Milan - Lake Como Private arrival transfer into Milan for private city tour. Private transfer to Lake Como for 3 nights Day 2 Lake Como Private morning boat tour to Bellagio, villas and other lake attractions Day 3 Lake Como At leisure Day 4 Lake Como - Florence Private transfer by car to Florence for 3 nights, with stop in Bologna en route Day 5 Florence Half day private tour Day 6 Florence At leisure Day 7 Florence - Tuscany Private transfer to hotel for 2 nights with tour of Siena en route and stops in local hilltowns Day 8 Tuscany Private driver at disposal for flexible visits to hilltowns and wineries Day 9 Tuscany - Rome Private transfer to Rome for 3 nights with stop in Orvieto en route Day 10 Rome Full-day private city tour Day 11 Rome Half-day private city tour Day 12 Rome – Pompeii – Amalfi Coast Private transfer to Ravello for 4 nights, with tour of Pompeii en route and stop at a local winery for lunch Day 13 Amalfi Coast Private driver at disposal to visit towns along the Amalfi Coast such as Amalfi or Positano Day 14 Amalfi Coast & Capri Full-day excursion to Capri, including transfers by hydrofoil and private island tour Day 15 Amalfi Coast At leisure   Day 16 Amalfi Coast – Matera – Puglia Private transfer to Puglia for 4 nights, with tour of Matera en route Day 17 Puglia Full-day private tour of Alberobello, Cisternino and Locorotondo, including wine tasting Day 18 Puglia Full-day private excursion to Lecce, including private cooking class and afternoon private walking tour. Drive through Ostuni en route back to resort Day 19 Puglia Private excursion to Polignano a Mare and private olive oil tasting. Afternoon at leisure Day 20 Depart Bari, Puglia Private airport transfer

Hotels

Lake Como: Villa d'Este Florence: Four Seasons Florence Tuscany: Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco Rome: Hotel de Russie Amalfi Coast: Belmond Hotel Caruso, Le Sirenuse or Il San Pietro di Positano Puglia: Borgo Egnazia

Cost

Upon request